Fluid sorter



Feb. 16, 1965 P. BAUER ETAL FLUID SORTER Filed Aug. 19, 1963 w U m fizvwfl m e FIG; I

INVENTOR PETER BAUER EDWIN U. SOWERSJII M ATTORNEY 5 l a. noun United States Patent 3,169,639 FLUID SORTER Peter Bauer, Roclrville, and Edwin U. Sowers III, Silver Spring, Md, assignors to Sperry Rand Corporation,

New York, N.;Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug; 19, 1963, Ser. No. 303,031

. 1'7 (Ilaims. Cl. 209-74) The present'invention relates to'means for sorting record cards or the like, and more particularly, to means having fluid as the operative sensing and sorting medium so as to avoid the need for any moving mechanical parts.

Prior art record card sorters include complicated moving mechanical parts which are subject towear and tear over the course of time. Such sorters generally utilize at their sensing station a mechanical finger for detecting the vpresence of a perforation in the sensing zone, or alter- The present invention seeks to obviate some of the above disadvantages by instead using fluid to both sense a perforation in the sorting zone as well as to subsequent- 1y deflect the card into one of several bins or hoppers. This approach eliminates the need for moving mechanical parts which in turn simplifies the sorter'const'ruction and makes its operation more reliable than hasheretofore been 7 possible; Precise control and timing in the invention is.

' a source 27 of pressurized fluid, preferably air,

in chamber 24 is thereby forced through the porous material'22 in order to forma cushion (of air) within chan.-

accomplished through the use'of a pure fluid amplifier which directly converts the relatively low power sensing fluid into relatively'high power card deflecting fluid without need for cumbersome mechanical transducers jo rlthe 1 like. An' additional featurewhich may be conveniently provided. isa fluid cushion onwhich the cards float. Furthermore, the principles of the" invention can be applied in the sorting of articles other than record cards. It is therefore an object of the present invention to pro: vide a sorter requiring no moving mechanical parts and in whichboth sensing and. sorting are accomplished by Anotherjobject of the present invention istoprovide i sorting station.

Another object ofthe present. invention is to provide a V fluid'record card sorter-in whicha fluid cushion is pro-' to the sorting operation.

sorter, particularly adaptedfor record cards or thef like,

which includes a sensingstation atwhich a sorting perfora-' tion in thecard'isdetectedby the passage of fluid th'ere through to thereby control afpu're fluid amplifier at the h f, I hese and other objects of the-present invention will be apparent during the course of the following description to be read in View of the drawings, in which;

FIGURE lis a: side elevation view in section of the present: invention;

tionj",

i I FIGURE 2 is an elevation view section 'of the ;sensing.station,of the-presentinvention; I r

FIGURES isa plan viewriirsection of the sensing Sta-- E 4 is a sectionalview showing :an alternative diii fidh Patented Feb. 16, 1965 ice embodiment of the fluid amplifier at the sorting station; and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation view showing a modification of the conveying mechanism.

Reference is first made to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention used in sorting record cards. A unitary body It) has formed therein a sensing station and a sorting station which are generally indicated by the numerals l2 and 14-, respectively. Sensing station 12 has a horizontal channel 16 for receiving a record card 18 which enters therein long edge first after having been given momentum by a setof rollers 20 exterior to the sorting device. The bottom wall of channel 16 is comprised of a porous material 22 under which is a fluid chamber 24 communicating with The fluid nel 16 on which the moving card 18 glides with substantially little or no friction. An alternative way of providing such a fluid cushion, while at the same time giving momentum to a'card, is by suspending each card in a fluid stream being blown through the sense and sortstations. Inother words, a fluid jet source can be positioned with its flow axis parallel to theihorizontal card path of travel, such as any card placed in the fluid jet will be carried thereby past nozzle 26, l

Located ;in the bottom wall of channel 16 is a nozzle 26 over which the sorting column of record card 18 passes during its travel throughthe sensing station. For the purpose of this description, the column of thecard scanned by nozzle 26 and upon which sorting depends is the end column 1 best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings, although the positions of the. card and nozzle may be'rnade movable relative to each other in orderto scan top wall of channel 16 is a port 30 for receiving any fluid which passes'through a'card perforation28 from nozzle 26. If there is a perforation 28 in this column, then card 18 will be placed in a particularone of two bins or hoppers l at the sorting station of the device. In the absence of a perforationin this column, however, recordcard 18 will beplaced in the otherbin. i

It is desirable torprevent actuation of the sorter mechanism in the absence ofa card in sensing station 12. In the -rillust rated embodiment, fluid under pressureis continually ted to chamber 24 so that an actuating "fluidstream from nozzle26 normally would issue into. channel 16 eveniin the absence of arecordcardjtherein. lnojrde'r toreduceh a a the magnitude of this fluid stream, which would; other I i wise be interpreted as-a-perforation in the record; card,

a pressure releaseport 32 is located in channel .1 6" ata position allowing it to beblocked by the'iecoi d card dur-j ing the same period of time that nozzle 'Ztilis scanning the c r it will be noted in FIGURES 2 and 3 that this pres- 'surie, releaseport' 32 is blocked by the portion of the card between its end column and its edge in whicha perform.

non never occurs. Port ."izf mayalternatively be located-r so as to be blocked by the unperforated arealgbetween adjacent card columns. Port 32 preferably not) larger area than nozzle 26, such'thjatin; the absencejof a record cardil s, the pressure' in chamber 241's relieved to a degree that any fluid issuing from noZzleZti aims time doesjnot have the magnitude necessary to influence'fthe sorter station. Actually, in FIGUREI port 32 needonlyy be partiallyunblocked in order to'provide sufiicieiitielease of'thepressure; On the otherhand, as record card-18, "passesthrough the sensing stationpressure/release port 1 .32 is blocked so as to 'increase the pressure in chamber 24 andthusincr ethe gy ot the fluid stream c :19 ing from nozzle 26. In order to make port 32 more effective in relieving the pressure when unblocked, an exhaust conduit 34 may be included opposite thereto.

Sorting station 14 includes two record card bins 36 and 33 each communicating with a receiving channel 4%) via card collecting channels 42 and 44, respectively. in place of hopper 38, collecting channel 44 might be connected with the input channel of another card sense-sort station which would interrogate for different card information. Situated opposite channel 42 is a nozzle 4d through which a fluid stream selectively issues as determined by the operation occurring at sense station 1-2. Fluid for nozzle 46 is supplied by output channel 43 of a pure fluid amplifier 54 which in turn is contained within main body It This fluid amplifier 54 includes a power stream input channel 52, an interaction chamber 54, and another output channel 56 through which the power stream normally ex hausts when it is not being used to deflect a record card at the sort station 14. At least one control input nozzle 53 is provided in order to deflect the power stream to output channel l8 in a manner well known to the prior art.

A pure fluid amplifier of the type shown in FIGURE 1 provides control of a power jet stream of relatively high energy by means of a control jet stream of relatively low energy. Fluid is supplied to power stream input channel 52 from an exterior source (such as source 27 in FIGURE 2) and issues into interaction chamber 54 via an orifice 60. Chamber 54 is bounded by the two outer converging walls 62 and 64 of output channels 48 and 56, respectively, whose inner converging walls in turn intersect to form a dividing knife edge 66. Output channel 48 feeds into nozzle 46 as previously mentioned, while output channel Edmay be returned to the inlet of the power stream source 26 through an exit port 5'7 in main body 159. Fluid amplifier It is also designed to allow the power stream to maintain its flow through an output channel to which it is diverted even after termination of a control signal. This stability is exhibited because of the creation of the so-called boundary layer region, which is a'low pressure region between the power stream and the wall of the output channel through which said stream passes. Creation of a boundary layer region in fluid amplifiers is well known and is due to entrainment of fluid particles by the power stream. In the quiescent condition of the device shown in FIGURE 1, the power stream issuing from orifice 6i flows through output channel 56 and exhausts'to the suction side of source 2%. This is a stable condition since creation of a boundary layer region between the power stream and outer wall 64 provides a positive feedback action to thereby lock the power stream onto this wall of the channel where it will be maintained until some condition. arises to divert the power stream a\ vay from entering channel 55 and into entering channel 43. This condition occurs whenever-a control stream of-suificient power issues from control channel 58 into' interaction chamber 54-. In turn, this control stream is caused by the sensing of a perforation in record cardjlti. Upon the power stream being diverted or shifted into output channel 48, it flows therethrough to exit via nozzle 45 into receiving channel 46 of sort station ltd. T is power fiuid stream by virtue of its velocity applies a force to whatever might be in its path. Other bistable fluid amplifiers may be utilized such as those which include a positive feedback channel.

Record card 18 passes from receiving channel I6 of the sense station into receiving channel 49 of thesort station so as to be carried past nozzle 46. If a perforation has been detected in the card at the sense station .12, the leading edge of the record card becomes exposed to the fluid stream from nozzle 46 which in turn applies-force thereto in the downward direction. A This force is suflicient to deflect record cardld so that its leading edge enters collecting channel 42 instead of passing into collecting channel 44. The momentum of record card 18 is still sufiicient to permit the card to enter hopper 35 when once it has been diverted thereto by-thefluid stream.

On the other hand, if there is no power stream from nozzle 46 at the time that the leading edge of the card becomes adjacent thereto, the card passes to collecting channel 44 and thus to hopper 38. Consequently, a rec 0rd card 18 is directed to either hopper 36 or hopper 38 according to the presence or absence of a perforation in its scanned column, respectively. Both sensing and sorting is accomplished by fluid streams without need for the mechanical parts commonly found in prior art record card sorters. It should be noted, however, that card deflection into bin 36 can occur only if a hole is sensed prior to the time when the card leading edge enters collecting channel 44 of hopper 38. The positions of nozzles 26 and 46 may be made adjustable relative to one another so that all, or only a few, of the index locations (rows) of the scanned column pass nozzle '26 before said leading edge arrives at nozzle 46.

When acting upon a plurality of record cards where each is introduced to the sorter one at a time, it is necessary to insure that the power stream of fluid amplifier Si is initially flowing through channel 56 for each record card presented to sense station 12. If a perforation in a previously scanned record card has caused the power stream to switch into output channel 48, some means must be provided for switching the power stream back into output channel 56 by a time just prior to the entry of the next following card. In FIGURE 1, this is automatically accomplished in novel fashion by designing fluid amplifier Stl such that the increase in back pressure at nozzle 46 due to the passage of a card 18 thereunder makes unstable power stream flow in output channel 43 so as to cause said power stream to switch back in output channel 56. The particular value of the back pressure required to switch the power stream from output channel 43 back into output channel as is governed by criteria well known to those skilled in the art. However, it is essential that the leading edge of the card 18 being deflected should first be positively guided into collecting channel 2-2 before power stream is reset back into chanml 56.

One other feature of a fluid amplifier should be pointed out. it can be designed so that power stream flow through one output channel creates a significant pressure drop in the other output channel due to the power stream entrainment of fluid particles. Thus, fluid flow in channel 56 of amplifier 5i can cause a suction or upward force to be applied to card -18 as it passes by nozzles 46. This suction force counteracts the force of gravity and helps to maintain horizontal card travel. Alternatively, said suction force in a modified embodiment couldhe of sufli-, cient magnitude to actually deflect the card from straight line travel into a hopper. s V

An alternativemeans for resetting the amplifier power stream is shown in FIGURE 4 which may be used when it of adjacent index points and by also making the distance is known how, long the power stream must remain in output channel 48 in order to insurev card deflection into hopper 36. In this embodiment, a feedback channel 79 is bled from output channel 43, said feedback channel being returned to a second-control nozzle '72 which feeds into interaction chamber 54. Upon the powerstream being switched from output channel 56 into output channel'43 by the sensing of a perforation, a portion of the power stream in channel 455 is fed into channel '76 and subsequently returned to nozzle 72 after a delay time governed by the length of channel 7%). When the chan- I nel7ti control stream issues into chamber 54, the power stream is forced back into output channel 56, since by this time there no longer is an actuating control stream in channel 31 due tothe fact that recordcard 18 has progressed further along its travel. The use of feedback channel also permits thesampling of but a single predetermined row or index location of the column. Byad justing the time during which-fluid appears in gutput channel 48 to be less than the time between the sampling distance between the said predetermined index location and the leading edge of the card, only a hole at said index location will cause the deflecting power stream to be on as the card edge passes thereunder. If amplifier 50 is switched on by a hole in any previously sampled row, it will be automatically turned off before the card edge appears beneath nozzle 46.

FIGURE 5 shows a further modification in which the card receiving channels of both the sensing and sorting stations are vertically positioned in order to utilize the force of gravity in moving the card. In this case, there is no need for momentum producing rollers or the porous material 22, since the card drops downward of its own weight in passing through the sensing station to the sorting station. However, the same fluid interpreting and deflecting operations, as described previously, are performed at the sense and sort stations, respectively. Where the card receiving channels are inclined at an angle to the horizontal without being vertical, a fluid cushion may or may not be necessary depending upon the friction encountered.

Although one novel aspect of the present invention involves the use of an air cushion upon or in which the card rides at it passes through the device, mechanical conveyers may also be used with the fluid interrogating and deflecting circuits. For example, the cards may be placed on their edge and transported by a moving belt which is in the horizontal plane. The flow axis of each nozzle 26 and 46 is, in this case, also horizontal, such that the card is deflected sideways into a hopper. Also, it is evident that in FIGURE 1, for example, nozzle 46 i may be placed on the underside of the card so as to blow upwards on it to thereby maintain the horizontal card path into hopper 38. Collecting channel 42.would be wider, so that for this configuration, the absence of fluid through nozzle 46 would allow the card to fall of its own weight (or by a downward suction force) into hopper i 36. Thus, although several preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described therein, it is obvious that many modifications may be made thereto 'by one skilled in the art without departing from its novel principles as defined in the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property 'or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: j

l. Fluid apparatus forsorting a record card according to the absence or presence of a perforation in a sorting column thereon, which comprises: i

(a) a record card sensing station which includes a first fluid opening located on one side of said record card so that it is blocked or unblocked according to the (d) means to convey said record card through said sensing station to said sorting station;

is automatically reset back to said one power stream output channel at a time subsequent to receipt of said fluid control signal.

5. Fluid apparatus according to-claim 4 wherein said pure fluid amplifier is of the boundary layer type wherein the powerstream locks onto a wall of said other power streamoutput channel for any backpressure therein less than a threshold value, with said threshold pressure value being exceeded due to a record card adjacent to said second fluid opening to thereby switch said power stream back into said one power stream output channel.

6. Fluid apparatus for sorting a record card according to the presence or absence of a perforation in a sorting column thereon, said apparatus comprising:

' (a) a record card sensing station which includes a first fluid. opening on one side of said record card for issuing a fluid stream which can pass through a perforation in said sorting column, and means on the opposite side of said card for receiving said fluid stream after" it passes through said perforation;

(b) a record card sorting station which includes at least first and second record card collecting channels and a second fluid opening located at a side of saidreco'rd card for applying fluid pressure thereto to direct said card into one of said collecting channels;

(0) means to convey said record card through said sensing station to said sorting station;

(d) a pure fluid amplifier including a power stream input channel, an interaction chamber, a pair of power stream output channels, a first of which is connected to'said second fluid opening, and at least one I control stream input channel for receiving a fluid control signal to thereby deflect the power stream from one power stream output channel to the other power stream output channel; and

(e) fluid means connecting said sensing station fluid receiving means with said fluid amplifier control stream input channel for applying a fluid control signalto said control stream input channel.

7. Fluid-apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said pure fluid amplifier is designed so that its power stream is automatically reset back to said one power stream output channel at a time subsequent to receipt of said fluid control signal. a

pure. fluid amplifier is designed so that its power stream 7 is'automatically reset back to said one power stream output channel at a time subsequent to receipt of said fluid (e) a pure fluid amplifier including a power stream in- 7 fluid means connecting said first fluid opening with 7 said pure fluid amplifier control stream input chan-- nel for applying a fluid control signal to said control stream input channel.

control signal.

10. Fluid apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said pure fluid amplifier is of the boundary layer type wherein the power stream locks on to a wall of said other power stream output channel for any back pressure therein less than a threshold value, with said'threshold pressure value being exceeded due to a record card adjacent to saidsecond fluid opening to thereby switch said power stream. back into said one power stream output channel.

11. Fluid apparatus according, to claim 6 wherein said fluid means is merely a fluid channel for conducting a fluid stream which passes through a record card perfora tion to said fluid amplifier control stream input channel;

12. Fluid apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said 8. Fluid apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said other power stream output channel and said first power stream output channel are the same.

13. Fluid apparatus for sorting a record card according to the presence or absence of a perforation in a sorting column thereon, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a record card sensing station which includes a chamber continuously supplied with fluid, a pressure release port communicating with said chamber and positioned so as to be substantially blocked by a record card passing therethrough in order to raise the fluid pressure in said chamber to a relatively large value as compared to the pressure value when said release port is substantially unblocked, a first fluid opening communicating with said chamber on one side of said record card for issuing a fluid stream which can pass through a perforation in said sorting column, and means on the opposite side of said card for receiving said fluid stream after it passes through said perforation;

(b) a record card sorting station which includes at least first and second record card collecting channels and a second fluid opening located at a side of said record card for applying fluid pressure thereto to direct said card into one of said collecting channels;

(c) means to convey said record card through said sensing station to said sorting station;

(d) a pure fluid amplifier including a power stream input channel, an interaction chamber, a pair of power stream output channels, a first of which is connected to said second fluid opening, and at least one control stream input channel for receiving a fluid control signal to thereby deflect the power stream from one power stream output channel to the other power stream output channel; and (e) fluid rneans connecting said sensing station fluid receiving means with said fluid amplifier control' stream input channel for applying a fluid control signal to said control stream input channel' 14. Fluid apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said pure fluid amplifier is designed so that its power stream is automatically reset back to said one power stream output channel at a time subsequent to receipt of said fluid control signal.

l5. Fluid apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said other power stream output channel and said first power stream output channel are the same.

16. Fluid apparatus for sorting a record card according to the presence or absence of a perforation in a sorting column thereon, said apparatus comprising:

('a) a record card sensing station which includes a substantially horizontal receiving channel through which said card passes, means to give momentum to said record card as it enters said receiving channel, a porous bottom wall which is supplied with fluid so that a substantially frictionless fluid cushion is formed in said receiving channel on which said record card rides, a first fluid opening on one side of said record card for issuing a fluid stream which can pass through a perforation in said sorting column, and means on the opposite side of said card for receiving said fluid stream after it passes through said perforation;

(b) a record card sorting station for receiving said card from said sensing station and which includes at least first and second record card collecting channels and a second fluid opening located at a side of said record card for applying fluid pressure thereto to direct said card into one of said collecting channels;

(c) a pure fluid amplifier including a power stream input channel, an interaction chamber, a pair of power stream output channels, a first of which is connected to said second fluid opening, and at least one control stream input channel for receiving a fluid control signal to thereby deflect the power stream from one power stream output channel to the other power stream output channel; and

(r!) fluid means connecting said sensing station fluid receiving means with said fluid amplifier control stream input channel for applying a fluid control signal to said control stream input channel.

1'7. Fluid apparatus for sorting a record card according to the presence or absence of a perforation in a sorting column thereon, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a record card sensing station which includes a first receiving channel inclined with respect to the horizontal through which said card drops by virtue of the force of gravity, :1 first fluid opening located on one side of said record card so that it is blocked or unblocked according to the absence or presence, respectively, of a perforation in said sorting column;

([1) fluid source means for producing fluid flow through said first fluid opening when it is unblocked by a perforation; I

(c) a record card sorting station which includes a second receiving channel below and in line with said,

first receiving channel for receiving said record card therefrom and at least first and second record card collecting channels which branch from said second receiving channel, a second fluid opening located in said second receiving channel on one side of said record card to deflect said card into one of said collecting channels;

(d) a pure fluid amplifier including a power stream input channel, an interaction chamber, a pair of power stream output channels, a first of which is connected to said second fluid opening, and at least one control stream input channel for receiving a fluid control signal to thereby deflect the power stream from one power stream output channel to the other power stream output channel; and

(e) fluid means connecting said first fluid opening with said pure fluid amplifier control stream input channel for applying a fluid control signal to said control stream input channel.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,950,065 MacDonald Aug. 23, 1960 3,011,634 Hutter Dec. 5, 1961 3,103,850 Khoury Sept. 17, 1963 

1. FLUID APPARATUS FOR SORTING A RECORD CARD ACCORDING TO THE ABSENCE OR PRESENCE OF A PERFORATION IN A SORTING COLUMN THEREON, WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A RECORD CARD SENSING STATION WHICH INCLUDES A FIRST FLUID OPENING LOCATED ON ONE SIDE OF SAID RECORD CARD SO THAT IT IS BLOCKED OR UNBLOCKED ACCORDING TO THE ABSENCE OR PRESENCE, RESPECTIVELY, OF A PERFORATION IN SAID SORTING COLUMN; (B) FLUID SOURCE MEANS FOR PRODUCING FLUID FLOW THROUGH FIRST FLUID OPENING WHEN IT IS UNBLOCKED BY A PERFORATION; (C) A RECORD CARD SORTING STATION WHICH INCLUDES AT LEAST FIRST AND SECOND RECORD CARD COLLECTING CHANNELS AND A SECOND FLUID OPENING LOCATES AT A SIDE OF SAID RECORD CARD FOR APPLYING FLUID PRESSURE THERETO TO DIRECT SAID CARD INTO ONE OF SAID COLLECTING CHANNELS; (D) MEANS TO CONVEY SAID RECORD CARD THROUGH SAID SENSING STATION TO SAID SORTING STATION; (E) A PURE FLUID AMPLIFIER INCLUDING A POWER STREAM INPUT CHANNEL, AN INTERACTION CHAMBER, A PAIR OF POWER STREAM OUTPUT CHANNELS, A FIRST OF WHICH IS CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND FLUID OPENING, AND AT LEAST ONE CONTROL STREAM INPUT CHANNEL FOR RECEIVING A FLUID CONTROL SIGNAL TO THEREBY DEFLECT THE POWER STREAM FROM ONE POWER STREAM OUTPUT CHANNEL TO THE OTHER POWER STREAM OUTPUT CHANNEL; AND (F) FLUID MEANS CONNECTING SAID FIRST FLUID OPENING WITH SAID PURE FLUID AMPLIFIER CONTROL STREAM INPUT CHANNEL FOR APPLYING A FLUID CONTROL SIGNAL TO SAID CONTROL MEANS INPUT CHANNEL. 